This weekend I had plans. Saturday was for grocery shopping, a bit of reading and shopping for some family birthdays presents, Sunday we had some family visits to do the whole day in view of some upcoming birthdays. Then we got an email that the family birthdays were being postponed until next Friday and a plan started forming in my mind. It was triggered by an invitation I received on Goodreads for a read-a-thon event in the weekend of August 13-14-15 and I thought: I can do that on my own too, especially now that I have an unexpected free weekend.

After the plan had formed I knew the biggest stumbling point was going to be hubby-dearest. He is NOT a reader and doesn't quite understand my reading obssession (I can't in good faith call it a hobby anymore LOL), he is very supportive of my reading but we also have some hefty discussions about it when he feels a bit neglected and all I can talk about are books (or blogging about books or tweeting about books) or all he sees of me is the top of my head sticking out above a book while my nose is in said book. Sometimes he's right, sometimes I think he's being unfair and we really fight about it. But most of the time he's very supportive as he's proved yet again by not fussing about me wanting to do this 48-hour reading marathon. Don't get me wrong: I had to drive a hard bargain and came up with some good arguments as to why I wanted to do this and showed him that it would be opportune for him too if I could do a reading spree for 2 straight days and then have more time in the coming month to spend some quality time with him. But me reading all weekend, means he's on his own for more that 48 hours, he has to do the groceries, buy the birthday gifts, cook, eat alone and pretty much be ignored by me until Sunday evening...He's a real trooper!

So now I am really going to do this. I'm going to read for 48 hours, with the only interruptions being a few hours of sleep tonight and tomorrow night.

Below is the pile of books I have layed out for this read-a-thon...mind you, I will not be able to read them all but am going to do my very best to make a big dent in this pile. The two covers shown are 2 e-books I'm reading at the moment (only read a few pages in both) and I am planning to at least also finish those two this weekend.



I'm starting this read-a-thon on Friday (today) 4 PM (CET) and will read at least until Sunday 4 PM (CET) but may extend it into Sunday evening, depending on how much I get read by Sunday afternoon.

I'll be checking/updating the below list as I go and hope to have a decent list by Sunday evening:

01. Full Disclosure by Cari Quinn
02. A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl
03. A Hollywood Affair by Sally Royer-Derr
04. Ex Appeal by Cari Quinn
05. Whirlpool by Vivian Arend
started Naked Dragon by Annette Blair

Well, wish me luck and I'll be back Sunday evening with an update of how it went. Right now I have to work on a review that's coming up Monday and which I have to write before I start the read-a-thon.

This challenge doesn't require much, just reading...and that's exactly what I plan to do a lot next year. However, I am not sure if I'll be able to complete it since to reach the goal of 100+ books in one year requires me reading 2 books a week and this has proven to be difficult sometimes. Nonetheless I am going to give it my best to reach the goal.

Some details from J. Kaye's Book Blog:

1. The goal is to read 100 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

2. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Library books, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.

3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Books started before the 1st do not count.

THE LIST:

01.

With as many erotic romance and erotica that I have on the shelves and in my ebook-folders on the computer, not joining this challenge never even came into mind. This is one challenge that won't be hard to complete at all.

The challenge is hosted by Erotic Horizon and here are some details:

Timeline: 01 Jan 2010 - 31 Dec 2010
Rules:
To read TEN(10) Erotica Romance in 2010

You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront then you can change them, nothing is set in stone!

The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

If you decide to participate in this challenge please use the links I have set up below with the buttons to post on your sidebar, this way others can find their way back to this post and join in the fun.

If you decide to join this challenge be sure to create a post telling others, please make sure you add a link back to this post so others can join in.

You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.

You must be 18 years or older to join.

Find below the "work-in-progress"-list of my books for this challenge. Some have been and will be put in the list beforehand, others will be added along the way in the course of next year.

THE LIST:(in random order)

01. Lora Leigh - Forbidden Pleasure
02. Lora Leigh - Marly's Choice
03. Lilli Feisty - Bound by Pleasure
04. Sharon Page - Blood Red
05. Kate Douglas - Wolf Tales II
06. Lauren Dane - Coming Undone - Click here for my review
07. Shayla Black - Decadent
08. M.C. Halliday - I Came Up the Stairs
09.
10.

I have decided to join  the In Death-reading challenge hosted by Christine from The Happily Ever After. I am looking forward to finally read the books after NAKED IN DEATH. A little background for my reason to join:

A while back, more than a year ago to be exact, one of the ROOB-messageboard members was ranting and raving about J.D. Robb's IN DEATH books and she really thought I should try them out. The reason I held of reading them before that was because I am not a fan of Nora Roberts' writing......I know, a severe sin in the world of romance lovers, but I really tried and I had to  accept that for me Nora Roberts is that author that the majority of readers loves, but just not for me. And come on...we all have an author like that....
But back to the subject at hand, I decided to put my Nora Roberts fear aside and tried out NAKED IN DEATH and....lo and behold...I really liked it! I have a review of it on this blog but am not linking it here yet because I want to use it as my first review of the challenge. Yes, I know, that's cheating a bit...but hey with my lack of time I make use of any loophole I can find. So sue me...

The most important rules for this challenge:

NEW RULES:

1. Anyone can join at any time.

2. Read one 'In Death' book by J.D. Robb per month, starting in January 2010 until you're caught up in the series.

3. To join, make a post on your blog about the challenge where you will keep a running list of the books that you'll edit as you go along. (See my own entry post HERE as an example). Once you've made your entry post, come back to this post and enter the link to your entry post in Mr.Linky below.

4. If you don't have a blog and you'd like to join the challenge, you can come back here and leave a comment as you read the books, or at the monthly 'In Death' Challenge post that I'll make on or around the last day of each month.

5. Reviews are optional. I will make a post on or around the last day of each month with a Mr.Linky for you to link any reviews or commentary from your blog so that we can find each other's posts easily and engage in some dialogue about the books.

6. If you miss a month, don't stress over it. This is all for fun and camaraderie! To motivate everyone from stay on track, however, I plan on awarding prizes at regular intervals (maybe every four months) to a randomly selected participant who has stayed on schedule for that time period.

7. Feel free to grab the 'In Death' Reading Challenge button on my sidebar for your blog.

8. Have fun!

The List:
(and yes, I get a major case of jitters when I see how many books J.D. Robb has already written in this series! This challenge is going to take me years to complete...)

01. Naked In Death - Click here for review
02. Glory In Death - Click here for review
03. Immortal In Death
04. Rapture In Death
05. Ceremony In Death
06. Vengeance In Death
07. Holiday In Death
08. “Midnight in Death” Silent Night anthology
09. Conspiracy In Death
10. Loyalty in Death
11. Witness In Death
12. Judgment in Death
13. Betrayal in Death
14. “Interlude in Death” Out of this World anthology
15. Seduction in Death
16. Reunion in Death
17. Purity in Death
18. Portrait in Death
19. Imitation in Death
20. Remember When
21. Divided in Death
22. Visions in Death
23. Survivor in Death
24. Origin in Death
25. Memory In Death
26. “Haunted in Death” Bump in the Night anthology
27. Born In Death
28. Innocent in Death
29. “Eternity in Death” Dead of Night anthology
30. Creation in Death
31. Strangers In Death
32. Salvation In Death
33. “Ritual in Death” novella in Suite 606
34. Promises in Death
35. Kindred in Death
36. “Missing in Death” novella in The Lost
37. Fantasy in Death (available February 23, 2010)

2010 challenges have been coming out of the woodworks since the start of December and I have decided to join quite a few, but I've decided to also host one of my own. Regular blog visitors and people who know me, know Contemporary Romance is one of my favorite subgenres within romance.

While searching and coming across challenges to join for 2010, I didn't find the contemporary romance reading challenge I was looking for. And what do you do when you don't find what you're looking for?
You create it yourself. So here it is...and I hope you will join me in the Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge 2010!


Before I list the details, I do want to make one thing clear: by contemporary romance I mean straight contemporary, so without paranormal, fantasy or time-travel elements. Sexy, steamy contemporaries are eligible and so are category romances. (i.e. Harlequin Blaze, Harlequin Presents, Harlequin Super Romances, Silhoutte Desires, etc.)

Details:

1. Read at least 10 contemporaries between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010

2. You don't have to pre-select your books, you can just add them as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed. Nothing is set in stone! Also, the books you choose can crossover into or from other challenges you are participating in.

3. Feel free to grab the button below for the sidebar of your blog. It would be great if you would link it back to this post so others can find their way back to this post and join the challenge.

4. If you decide to join this challenge be sure to create a post telling others and feel free to add a link back to this post so others can join in the fun.

5. I will be creating review posts where you can link your own reviews, but reviews are optional.


Find below the "work-in-progress"-list of my books for this challenge. Some have been and will be put in the list beforehand, others will be added along the way in the course of next year.

THE LIST: (in random order)

01. Kristan Higgins - Fools Rush In
02. Julie James - Something About You - Click HERE  for my review
03. Julia London - Summer of Two Wishes
04. Lisa Kleypas - Sugar Daddy
05. Carly Phillips - Cross My Heart
06. Deidre Knight - Butterfly Tattoo
07. Jill Shalvis - Slow Heat - Click HERE for my review
08. Deirdre Martin - Straight Up - Review coming soon!
09. Vivian Arend - Rocky Mountain Heat and Rocky Mountain Haven - Review coming soon!
10. Louisa Edwards - Can't Stand the Heat





HAVE FUN and HAPPY READING!

<a href="http://pearl72.blogspot.com/2009/12/contemporary-romance-reading-challenge.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Pearl’s Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/MaggieBdC/overig/ButtonCRC2010.jpg" /></a><br/>

When signing up below for Mr Linky, please add the direct link to your post where your Contemporary Romance books will be listed as it makes it much easier for others to find.
If you don't have a blog, just leave the URL blank.
If you have trouble signing up below, please leave the name you want posted with your bloglink in the comments of this post or email them to me via this Contact Form

This challenge is hosted by BookChickCity

Timeline: 01 Jan - 31 Dec 2010
Rules: To read TWELVE (12) thrillers in 2010

Details:

• You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront then you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

• You can join anytime between now and the later part of 2010.

Contrary to my earlier statements this year (both here, on twitter and IRL) that I didn't want to do reading challenges anymore because I feel the pressure of obligatory reading and reviewing next to all my other (reading) obligations, this was a challenge I couldn't resist and I have a few reasons for it:

First, I don't have to select any books ahead of time, so the sense of obligation is somewhat diminished. This, however, doesn't mean I don't have some books in mind for this challenge specifically and I know this is a challenge that I won't have trouble meeting "deadlines".

My second reason is linked to the first: I think reading twelve Thriller/Suspense/Mystery books will not be a great challenge as I had already planned to read more in that genre, next to the romantic suspense I already read plentily and I suspect the romantic suspense genre also falls under the regulations of this challenge, so this will be a challenge that won't be hard to meet at all.

For this challenge we are supposed to read 12 Thriller and Suspense Books. BCC, through J. Kaye has provided a list of sub-genres that work for this challenge. To view go HERE.

Find below the "work-in-progress"-list of my books for this challenge. Some have been and will be put in the list beforehand, others will be added along the way in the course of next year.

THE LIST: (in random order)

01. Lori Armstrong - Blood Ties - Click HERE for my review
02. Jordan Dane - No One Heard Her Scream
03. Barry Eisler - Rain Fall
04. Stieg Larsson - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
05. Ashley Gardner - The Hannover Square Affair
06. Karen Rose - Have You Seen Her?
07. Chelsea Cain - HeartSick
08. Robert Craig - Random (ARC supplied by publisher via BookChickCity)
09. Allison Brennan - Original Sin - Click HERE for my review
10. Shiloh Walker - Broken Click HERE for my review
11.
12.

Jacket Copy:
Long ago, in the magical holocaust known as the Mage Wars, the immortal Fey and their allies fought to defeat the grasping evil of the Elden Mages and their dark-gifted supporters. During those wars, in a fit of grief-induced madness caused by the death of his mate, Fey shapeshifter Rain Tairen Soul nearly destroyed the world in a blaze of tairen fire.


Now, a thousand years later, the fierce Fey king must fight to save his race from the brink of extinction and once again stop the evil rising in the homeland of his enemies, the Eld. The key to his success lies in the mortal city of Celieria, where the Mage Wars began, and with a young woman whose soul sings to him in ways no woman’s ever has, whose presence reawakens the primal fury of the tairen within his soul, and whose vast, untapped power can either save or destroy him and his people.

This is not going to be a review in my usual format. I am taking the I’ll start and wing it method again because there is so much in my head I want to write about this book, it’s bursting out and not in a methodically and structured manner. Reviews of some books aren’t meant to be crammed into structure and formats and LORD OF THE FADING LANDS is definitely one of those books.


Where and how to begin? Let’s start at the beginning and by saying that this was one of the most impressive reading experiences I’ve had this year, positively as well as negatively. I chose this book as part of my reading challenge because preceding the release of LORD OF THE FADING LANDS back in 2007 an amazing C.L. Wilson buzz began and even I, a non-Fantasy reader, felt the compelling need to buy the book. 


Then, after the raving reviews all around, I did with C.L. Wilson what I do with most authors I buy one book from, I bought every new book upon release and shelved it neatly with the others, thus adding three unread books to the immense TBR-pile. These new books in the series came out, were read and reviewed by fellow ROOB-reviewers and members of the ROOB forum and I heard nothing but praise and read nothing but raving reviews. When compiling the reading challenge list of course C.L. Wilson could not be missing on it, so I gave it the August slot. Then August came and since in July I cut it real close with the challenge book and review I decided to start early with LORD OF THE FADING LANDS, giving me time to read and review at ease and without end of the month-deadline pressure. Little did I know how visionary that would turn out to be.


I started reading LORD OF THE FADING LANDS August 15th and finished it today (August 31st). And I read the last 200 pages in the last 3 days, so I spent almost 2 weeks reading the first half of the book. I just couldn’t get into the story and for the life of me couldn’t pinpoint why. Because I loved the sweet but fiery Celierian woodcarver’s daughter Ellysetta Baristani and I melted for the awe-inspiring Rainier vel’En Daris, the powerful Tairen Soul and Fey King of the Fading Lands. I was endeared and moved by Ellie’s parents and sisters, impressed by Ellie’s quintet, especially by Bel and Kieran and I was repelled by the Eld High Mage and his apprentice Kolis Manza. These are all good things to feel when I’m reading but still something was preventing me from enjoying the book the way I wanted to. 


After finishing the book I now know exactly what it was. There were two things and they are connected. It was the pace and the descriptive lyrical, at times flowery, writing style of C.L. Wilson. Add to that the unknown fantasy terms and names and I really felt lost at the beginning, wondering what I had done by wanting to read this book, knowing I am not a fan of fantasy. I kept flipping to the glossary in the back to know what the terms I was reading meant and believe me that is not good when you already are having problems with the pace. Every time I stopped reading I’d be reluctant to pick the book up again because I knew I would have to wade through the descriptions again to get to the good stuff (dialogues and action).


This definitely wasn’t an easy read for me. When a story grips you it doesn’t matter if it’s easy to read or not but as I was having trouble getting in the story and trying to grasp the world, it made it even harder because of what I stated above. Sometimes I would get sucked into the extensive and distracting descriptions of almost everything (people, scenery, events, actions etc.), making the pace so slow it took me more than a week to get through the first 100 pages! But I hung in there and I am so very glad that I did, because somewhere after page 150 I finally got what I wanted from the book! The intriguing world building, the wonderful dialogues and the beautiful emotions were there the first half of the book too but it wasn’t until the second half, when a lot of things started to fall into place that I could stop being distracted by the descriptions that were still there and fully enjoy the sweet, beautiful and lyrical story of Ellie and Rain.


If there is one thing I learned from reading this book, it is that Fantasy is not and probably will never be a genre I favor and the little quantity of Fantasy books (be it romance or non-romance) on my shelves proves this. Nonetheless, C.L. Wilson will remain on my shelves because with the second half of LORD OF THE FADING LANDS she has convinced me that Tairen Soul series is most certainly worth the effort. I will definitely be reading the next books in this series because I am dying to know what will happen to Ellie, Rain, the Fey, the Eld and how certain intriguing things will unravel.

Quotes:

She was so young, so incredibly new to the world and to him, and yet regardless of the cost to his soul, Rain would destroy anyone and anything that dared to stand between them. And if any dared to harm her, he would shred them without mercy and dance as he drank their blood.

“Rain has given you his magic, kem’falla, the essence of himself. An eternal fivefold weave of it, embraced forever in a fragile Celierian-made vessel. Strength wedded to vulnerability, magic to mortal craft, him to you. It sings so many different songs. It is a very fine gift, indeed." Bel turned his shining gaze upon Ellysetta. "And you, kem’falla, are the greatest gift of all. You breathe life back into the dying ember of our king's soul.”

Respect for his pride kept her silent. Battered and bruised, but still fighting for dominance, his was not the selfish, petty pride that made bullies of lesser men, but rather the quiet, determined dignity that turned men into heroes and made heroes crawl back to their feet from the bitter dust of defeat and stand tall once more. She dare not take that from him.

Jacket Copy:

WELCOME TO A WORLD WHERE NOTHING IS WHAT IT SEEMS AND EVERY TOUCH IS ECSTASY
When Alexandria’s car goes off the road in a terrible blizzard, she has no idea night will bring a powerful rescuer and the start of an ecstatic sexual awakening. The moment Xandi wakes in Stefan’s muscular arms, feels the heat of his body pressing against hers, she feels no fear. Instead, she allows herself to be taken by one who is more than a man, whose primal nature is never far from him. As their connection grows, and as Xandi gradually loses her sensual inhibitions, experiencing pleasures she never dreamed possible, she is drawn deeper into Stefan’s mysterious world, meeting the alluring beauty, Keisha, as well as the dominant and sometimes ruthlessly commanding Anton, who can have any man or woman he wants…in any way he wishes…

WOLF TALES comprises 5 parts. The first 4 parts focus on the introduction of the main characters: Xandi Olanet, Stefan Aragat, Anton Cheval and Keisha Rialto. Part 5 is called THE GIFT and, as I suspect, is the closing part of this introduction of a group of characters that will play important roles in future books of the series.

YES! I've done it! I am participating in Galley Smith's Harry Potter's Reading Challenge. When she mentioned it on Twitter I knew this was my chance for an incentive to read all the Harry Potter books in English. I have read the books you know, but in Dutch.

I think it was one of my sisters in-law who pointed me to the Harry Potter books somewhere in 2002. She knew I love reading and during one of the many conversations on a family birthday she told me she was reading her oldest son HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE as a bedtime story.

Jacket Copy:
WHEN YOU MIX ONE PART BUSINESS
Autumn Adams never planned to follow in her mother's footsteps as Chicago's answer to Martha Stewart--she can't cook, doesn't clean, and would rather play soccer than discuss the joys of white bathtub grout. Then some lunatic starts sending her threats in the mail and Audie finds herself under the protection of simmering, sexy Detective Stacey Quinn, a man determined to examine her every nook, cranny, and ex-boyfriend in his effort to find the stalker. A disarming combination of macho cop and sweet charmer, Quinn is hard to resist. But with Audie's bad luck at finding and holding on to Mr. Right, she think it's best to keep her distance...

WITH ALL PARTS PLEASURE
Quinn soon discovers that the real Audie is an alluring blend of fantasy babe and tender-hearted female all wrapped up in what he can only hope is leopard-print underwear. She's not what he's always pictured for himself, but could she be everything he'll ever need?

THINGS CAN GET DOWNRIGHT DELICIOUS
Digging through Audie's many layers could turn out to be the hottest, craziest, sexiest bit of detective work Quinn has ever attempted...if it doesn't kill him first.

The ingredients for Susan Donovan's KNOCK ME OFF MY FEET are a hunky, Irish police detective and threats by mail to a Martha Stewart-esk columnist who'd much rather spend her time on the soccer field. Furthermore, there is mention of kilts and what is worn beneath them and bagpipes and their possibilities, there’s a bunch of ex-boyfriends who are suspects, an associate with a questionable taste in clothing, lots of bed talk by the otherwise quiet detective, quite some touching and feeling and a smoking hot scene on a porch.

Stacey Quinn is a Chicago PD detective. He is Quinn to his friends and family and if you want to stay on his good side, you'd better not call him Stacey. He is straightforward and direct but not very talkative, however, there are some nice exceptions to the latter, which I will address later in this review. Subtlety is lost on him and he oozes masculinity. He is a confident and sweet man who’s a bit rough around the edges but has a heart of gold.

After her mother’s death, Autumn (Audie) Adams took over her “Homey Helen” column. It is something she does out of guilt towards her mother, although why she felt guilty is beyond me after reading how Audie's family life was while she grew up. Audie is clumsy, disorganized, outspoken and impulsive. She would rather play women soccer than give homemaker tips. She is lonely and sometimes lashes out because of insecurities that come from her messed up childhood but considering her upbringing she turned out pretty well and she too, has a heart of gold.

Audie and Quinn are really sweet together in the way that, despite their immediate attraction, they both take their time to gradually open up to each other. They are opposites in many, many ways, which causes a lot of awkward situations and fun dialogues between them to go along with the fiery and instant chemistry. He is neat, she's messy. He grew up in a warm and close family, she grew up in a dysfunctional one. He is very much in control of everything, she is clumsy. He is the silent type, she is talkative. But I do need to rectify that last one a bit because Quinn can be talkative on a few subjects. One is his family, he can talk a lot about his family when he's gets into his stride and he is also oh so very talkative in bed and I loved that. My dear old heart goes into overdrive when a hero talks the talk during love scenes and Quinn definitely talks the talk and he does it quite well. My favorite talkative hero used to be Butch (J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood) but Quinn has definitely dethroned him.

There are enough secondary characters to provide a nice number of suspects for the suspense thread of the book, but still it is Quinn and Stacey who take center stage in this wonderful contemporary story. Supporting characters like Quinn's partner, Quinn's family and Stacey's friend Griffin are essential for the humor that runs through the book. I especially liked the scene with brotherly talk at the pub with Quinn and his brothers and the banter between Quinn and his partner. Actually, in all the dialogues, no matter in which situation and no matter between which characters, the humor shone through. Sometimes it was subtle and in the background, other times it was laugh-out-loud funny.

Susan Donovan is great with humor and wit. Her writing is easy to grasp and fluent. She fleshes out her characters in a thorough way, making it able to really get to know them and go through all the motions with them. She provides her hero and heroine with extensive backgrounds and although I had some trouble with the pace of the book in the beginning, when it seemed like the book was crawling forth, it is that slow pace that makes it possible for the romance to develop gradually in a realistic way and for the characters to really grow on you as the reader.

Having read some extremely fast-paced paranormal and suspense books right before reading this book, I think I just had to make a little adjustment in order to appreciate the slower pace in the beginning of this book. And rest assured that Susan Donovan does make up for the slow starting pace because what starts as a mellow, slow paced and sweet romance novel changes completely and for the better when Donovan takes it up a notch both with the pace and with the romance. When Quinn and Audie decide to act on their mutual attraction and budding feelings, it really changes the tone and pace of the book. It turns sizzling hot when Quinn starts to get all touchy feely and talkative and when Audie lets her inhibitions and insecurities go. It was an unexpected change that gave the book an extra dimension and which made it shoot a few places up my list.

Susan Donovan sure knows how to write sensual build-up and how to heat things up in the bedroom to such a peak that if I wore glasses, they would've steamed up real good. She proves that explicitness doesn't equal hotness because one of the hottest scenes in the book is one where Quinn and Audie aren't even having sex, though they are talking about it.

In the beginning of the book Donovan tricked me into this comfortable, non-too impressive lull, just to end it with very hot romance and some surprising twists in the suspense plot. She did have me sweating for a bit with the suspense plot because I thought there was going to be an unforgivable plot inconsistency but she saved it just in time to give me the great ending she had been working up to.

KNOCK ME OFF MY FEET is a contemporary romance just the way I like them. Smooth and fluent and filled with fun, chemistry, the right amount of resistance to the attraction and a suspense plot that stays in the background just enough not to make it a romantic suspense. I will definitely be reading more of Susan Donovan's work soon.

Quotes:
Oh, and let's not forget the best part about her life --Stacey Quinn! The intensely sexy cop who kissed her until her spine fused, then disappeared with some lame excuse, then sent her a gift so inexplicably sweet and personal that it made her cry.

He wanted what his parents had and he decided early on that he'd settle for nothing less. He wanted the kind of love that was beautiful and resilient and funny. He wanted passionate love. He wanted love that would challenge him, complete him, make him a better man.

Audie watched him do the one-handed macho T-shirt removal thing and toss it to the chair. And there he stood in front of her, wearing nothing but the kilt and a muscular chest, trim abdomen and strong arms. Audie knew she might very well be drooling, but she didn't care. His body was exquisite--powerful, sprung tight, ready for whatever might be required. (...) He was the most exquisite male specimen she'd ever seen, and beneath the hard-ass cop routine, he was the kindest man she'd ever known.

Jacket Copy:
In Las Vegas, Jason Cage is known as "The Beast Master." But his onstage feats of magic are nothing compared to the abilities he keeps hidden from human eyes. Jason is Prime of his vampire family, and once used his telepathic skills to tame wild werewolves. It's a talent that leads him to beautiful, sensual Sofia Hunyara, who instantly triggers all of Jason's primal urges. Sofia is destined to be his bondmate, but keeping her alive long enough to convince her of that fact will not be easy.

Sofia has no reason to trust Jason, or to believe his story about her family's secret history as Wolf Tamers. The only thing she's sure is an overwhelming attraction that quickly develops into a scorching affair. If Jason's claims are true, can Sofia embrace her legacy - when it means walking away from a soul-searching desire that's deeper than any she's ever known?

Jason Cage, the star of a magical animal show and known as the Beast Master, is summoned to an unknown location to repay an old debt to a family he hasn't seen in over sixty years; the Hunyara.
The Hunyara family comprises werewolves who aren't naturally born but turned by having been bit instead. This makes them outcasts in both the mortal and the supernatural world. However, a threat to both these worlds have lead to needing the help of the Hunyara's Wolf Tamers, the only ones, human or werewolf, who can control the feral, bitten werewolves. Sofia Hunyara is the next great Wolf Tamer of her people but she is not aware of it. Jason is brought in to train her for this task and help her save mankind, both human and supernatural.

Sofia is sassy, stubborn and outspoken. She is yearning for a harmonious life and a family, a sense of belonging. Her dislike for dogs, wolfs and those alike is rather ironic since she is supposed to be a Wolf Tamer and the one to train her to do so, Jason, is known as the Beast Master. Sofia is very hesitant at first about all that is happening to her, especially about her newly discovered werewolf family and her role in it and her blossoming feelings for Jason, a vampire of all things. Despite her hesitations, once she accepts things, she becomes very dedicated in both aspects.

Jason is a true Prime: cocky, self-assured and a bit arrogant. In short, he's alpha to the core and doesn’t apologize for it. I really liked his character. He had just enough of that self-deprecating humor I like to see in my heroes and his attitude towards Sofia was endearing despite the little bouts of cockiness now and then, but well that comes with being a Prime.

When I was looking at the TBR-mountain for books for the reading challenge, PRIMAL DESIRES was one of the first ones I picked because it really had been a while since I left the Primes' world and I did enjoy the previous books. I read Susan Sizemore's first five books in the Primes series a very long time ago and liked them. It was when I just started reading English romance novels and when I first discovered the paranormal romance genre. I didn't do reviews back then so there are no reviews of those first five books. (Maybe one day...but I wouldn't count on it). Now, having read PRIMAL DESIRES and ready to review it, I must say I am a bit disappointed with the book. I can't recall having these feelings with the other books but this one really didn't do it for me. It wasn't that I didn't like the book or the plot; it's just that I wasn't overwhelmed by it either.

It's difficult to name exactly what bothered me but I will give it a try. For example I would have loved to have a more in-depth look into Sofia and Jason's characters and lives and the Hunyara's background instead of the extensive general and repetitive descriptions of the Clan and Family's customs and traditions. The story was entertaining and definitely had potential but especially in the plot and main characters it stayed too much on the surface of things, never diving deep into the intriguing world it seems to be.

Also, the focus on Jason and Sofia is often interrupted by storylines and POVs of two other, secondary characters in the book. Admittedly the two side stories are tightly linked to the main plot and they were definitely interesting storylines leaving me curious how they will work out in future books but still I would have liked to see more focus on Jason, Sofia and their story. Related to this was the fact that the build-up of the relationship between Sofia and Jason was too shallow for my liking. They went from total strangers to feeding and lovemaking in roughly 60 pages and Sofia was dealing with a lot of other stuff besides her attraction to Jason. Not that I mind instant chemistry and attraction but it was just a bit too much to be believable and more importantly I didn't feel it fitted the rest of the story.

Finally, there were parts of the book that just couldn't hold my attention, especially the parts where Sizemore fills the pages with lengthy descriptions of the hierarchy, customs and traditions within the Clans and Families. In those parts the pace slowed considerably from the faster paced action and love scenes, they took me longer to read and those were the points in the book where my mind would stray off and I'd stop reading and go do other things. This is never a good thing when I'm reading; I like to be enthralled by a book to the point of not being able to stop reading it.

When I combine all of the above with the little plot and character inconsistencies I found, I can only come to the conclusion that PRIMAL DESIRES is an nice addition to the Primes series but didn't blow me off my socks, not by a long shot.

Quotes:
Sofia and Jason:
"It actually happened --sixty years ago."
"Over sixty."
"How old are you?"
"Obviously over sixty." He flashed a bright white smile at her. "Well preserved, aren't I?"

Sofia and Jason talking about Tolkien/LOTR:
"The council is actually my favorite part of The Lord of the Rings."
"Mine too," he answered. "I was never fond of Tolkien's anti-technology stance but I love his world-building and the history and mythology--"
"Keep talking sexy to me like that, and I'm going to throw you on the bed and have my way with you." She grinned.

Jacket Copy:
After a near-fatal head injury, U.S. Navy SEAL Lieutenant Tom Paoletti catches a terrifying glimpse of an international terrorist in his New England hometown. When he calls for help, the Navy dismisses the danger as injury-induced imaginings. In a desperate last-ditch effort to prevent disaster, Tom creates his own makeshift counterterrorist team, assembling his most loyal officers, two elderly veterans of the Second World War, a couple of misfit teenagers, and Dr. Kelly Ashton -- the sweet "girl next door" who has grown into a remarkable woman. Once known as the town’s infamous bad boy, Tom has always longed for Kelly. Now he has one final chance for happiness, one last chance to win her heart, and one desperate chance to save the day....

A summary of the book is hard to give since there is so much going on in the book. Not necessarily action wise as much as character wise and plot wise. The actual story takes place in one week, from August 8 until August 15. In this week we get to know Tom Paoletti and Kelly Ashton and some of their family members. With the flashbacks to WWII and the glimpses of Tom and Kelly’s youths, a time period of close to 60 years is covered.
Kelly had a crush on Tom when she was a young girl but before they could explore the relationship, Tom fled to the Navy. When Tom returns to his hometown on a forced leave the feelings between them are revived. But before they can have their HEA they have to prevent a terrorist’s plan to place a bomb during a memorial celebration, there are family issues of past and present to solve and there are complicated feelings to be dealt with.

For me there were 7 main characters because to say that Tom and Kelly were the main characters would not be fair to Joe, Charles, Cybele, David and Mallory. In the beginning of the book Tom and Kelly being the initial main characters, take center stage but soon I discovered other storylines in the book that were just as important as Tom and Kelly's.

There is a flashback-storyline that tells the beautiful and heartbreaking story of Joe (Tom's great-uncle), Charles (Kelly's father) and Cybele. During World War II Joe and Charles end up with a group of the French resistance, which is led by an intriguing woman called Cybele. The three of them form an impossible and unfair love triangle filled with unrequited love. Joe loves Cybele, Cybele loves Charles and Charles loves Cybele but is married and feels guilty towards Joe. Since it is absolutely wonderful to read through the flashbacks how their story unfolds I will leave it at this for readers to discover for themselves. Then there is the story of Mallory (Tom's niece) and David. They form an unlikely couple but their story is as beautiful and emotional as Tom and Kelly's or the love triangle between Charles, Joe and Cybele.

All these 7 characters are layered and well defined. In the mere 392 pages the book counts Suzanne Brockmann gave me characters that are developed in all aspects, both the good and the bad ones. And on top of all that the development is realistic and believable for each of the characters and their respective storylines. Their development is not only in the romantic aspect of the storylines. There are numerous scenes in which the various family relations and dynamics are explored and deepened and there are scenes where professional skills are portrayed and all added up it led to the creation of amazingly strong and likeable characters.

And on top of these characters there are some true supporting characters: Tom’s sister/Mallory’s mother Angela, who is the embodiment of the bitter subject of gossip in the small town; David’s best friend, Brandon who is a bit too full of himself and Tom’s Navy Seal buddies, or at least part of his elite special ops squad, the “Troubleshooters”. In this book we get a first glimpse of Lieutenant JG Casper “Jazz” Jacquette, Lieutenant JG Alyssa Locke who happens to be a top-notch sniper and Ensign Sam Starrett.

I've had this book on my shelves for almost two years now and I should be ashamed for not having read it before. When I picked it to be the first book in my 2009 reading challenge I couldn't have imagined the impact this book would have on me. I thought I had the romantic suspense scene pegged down with some authors that have become auto buy but I knew there was a reason why Suzanne Brockmann has been auto buy without ever having read a letter she had written. If this book is an indication she writes books that are masterpieces from the prologue to the very last page, leaving you wanting more and wishing the book hadn't ended.

The prologue alone set the tone for an action-filled, suspenseful and romantic story that pushed all my right buttons. But let me tell you that the prologue didn't prepare me for a book that succeeded in giving me what I want from reading books: escaping into a world filled with realistic plot, believable emotions, genuine characters who have their flaws and deal with them, witty fun at the right moments and writing that is vivid and fluent.

Brockmann is a master at multiple storylines, POVs and interpersonal relationships. Each storyline is approached through at least two points of view, giving the storylines a multi-dimensional feel. She has an amazing talent that few authors truly master. She makes characters, suspense, humor, romance, actions and multiple plotlines in different time-periods meld together seamlessly into an impressive, touching and practically perfect book.

Her writing is so consistent that all elements are equally addressed and none of them are under exposed but also neither claims too much focus. The balance was exemplary and one I've rarely seen/read in the considerable amount of books I've read. Each storyline in this book has its own touch and feel, its own dynamic depending on the combination of characters important to that specific storyline. And still the whole book fuses together into a coherent, well-oiled machine running so smoothly the pages went by at light speed and before I knew it I was finished and sad to leave all these wonderful characters.

This book was so much more than just the romantic love story between Tom and Kelly spiced up with a few subplots. There are other romances/plotlines, one in the present and one in the past during the Second World War and the suspense plot of a terrorist threat and Brockmann held my attention firmly by switching between these plotlines effortlessly and at exactly the right moments. I had the feeling I was reading three books in one and they were all working towards the same ending. This fell into place when the characters work together towards the conclusion of the suspense plot. All the pieces came together and merged perfectly.

All of the above combined with the humor in her writing and the unambiguous, intense emotions, took this book to a higher level. Kelly and Tom's story could have been the cliché story of the rich good girl and the poor wild boy but Brockmann's writing makes it anything but average or cliché. This was a book that tapped into my emotions on many different levels, just the way I like it. I laughed, I cried, I was appalled, I was angry, I sympathized, I disliked and I was at the edge of my seat when I got to the literally "explosive" ending. In short this was a book that appealed to me at all levels and Brockmann deserves all the praise one could bestow on her.

THE UNSUNG HERO should be treasured and savored and it has set a very high standard for the rest of this series. I am not one to recommend books since I know from experience that every reader has their own preferences and priorities in relation to the TBR-piles but this is a book I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a full-bodied, intricate and dazzling book that entails so much more than the average romantic suspense novels do that are overflowing the romance reading community.

Quotes:
Tom and Kelly
Tom flustered. Funny, he'd pretty much considered himself fluster-proof prior to this very moment in time. But here he was. Completely uncertain what to do, what to say, what to think. She'd kissed his hand.

"I've seen a lot of shitty things, Tom--death and godawful suffering and pain. I need you to see me for who I am--let me climb down from this pedestal of niceness you've stuck me on top of, because up here I can't live my life the way I want to live it. I can't reach you from here. I can't wrap my legs around you the way I'm dying to."

Mallory and David
He was romantic. David of the funny hair and awful plaid shirts was the most romantic man Mallory had ever met in her life. When she kissed him again, he sighed his pleasure and she knew. It was okay that she'd fallen in love with him. Her heart was safe in his gentle hands.


Rating: 10 out of 10

Inspired by reading/tbr-challenges on other websites and blogs and compelled by my own mountain of books to be read I decided to set up a reading challenge of my own. I will start this challenge in April with:
THE UNSUNG HERO (Suzanne Brockman)

My main objectives are:

1. Finish series I've started reading a while ago. Those series you've read the first one or two and loved but then you get distracted by other books and new authors and the rest of the series just stays there on the shelves, feeling neglected.
   
2. Start reading some books and series that have been gracing my bookshelves for over 2 years now. Those books that screamed at you to buy them but turn very silent when it comes to reading them.
   

Before setting up this challenge for myself, I did some research to see what was out there and what form would work best for me. I think I've found the way but only time will tell if it really works and if I can stick to the schedule I've set up. I've decided to go by genre and will start with one challenge-book per month. I divided my books in the six genres you'll find below. 

• Suspense (romantic suspense, mysteries & thrillers)
  
• Paranormal (no further categorization needed)
  
• Contemporary (contemporary romance & chicklit)
  
• Romantica (erotic romance & erotica)
  
• Fantasy (fantasy romance & urban fantasy)
  
• Historical (no further categorization needed)
  

Every genre will have a challenge-book read twice a year and in every genre I'll read one from objective 1 (Catch Up) and one from objective 2 (New). I decided to divide the genres throughout the year as follows: